Health

Strategies to reduce children's perception of pain

Article Abstract:

There was a lack of research in the area of pain in infants and children until the mid-1970s, possibly due to a reluctance to investigate on ethical grounds or problems in determining young children's perceptions of pain.Pain thresholds are said to increase over the course of childhood and children have been observed to demonstrate fixed developmental sequences in fear and avoidance behaviours. Health care professionals can manage children's pain effectively by providing procedural information, relaxation training and distractions.

Psychological pain and care: do hospices accept the concept of psychological pain and, if so, how do they deal with it?

Article Abstract:

A survey to discover whether the notion of psychological pain is accepted within hospices, and how it is assessed, found that the majority of hospices undertake a psychological pain assessement. Some respondents believed that the notion of psychological pain was most frequently observed in the 20-40 age group. Most felt that there was a role for RMNs in the terminal care setting if the nurse had general nursing qualifications.

Treating children's wound pain in the community

Article Abstract:

A description is presented of the techniques which can be used by community nurses in the treatment of wound pain in children. The psychological impact of pain experienced by a child on the child and his family are discussed.